Session Tips

So you have your photoshoot scheduled... but what do you need to know? Here is my must know list about your next photo shoot.

Preparation

The most important step is to pick a photographer whose style you like. Every photographer is different, make sure you love their work. If you do, you will love your photos.

Prepare to get a down and dirty. You will be sitting on rocks, scaling walls, jumping in the air, and laying on the ground. It's all apart of the process and trust me, the outcome is oh, so worth it.

Next, you have a decision to make... do you want formal and posed photos or candid and casual photos? Some people play it serious and others goof it up- it's all about who you are as people and what you enjoy. Be sure to communicate this with your photographer.

Time

Everyone is busy, busy, busy. It's hard to carve out time just for photos and you're likely going to be busy before and after your session... But, there is this special moment called a golden hour. Trust your photographer on the time. Just after sunrise or just before sunset make for the most beautiful photos. The lighting is incredibly flattering. Surprisingly, cloudy days also create beautiful lighting as well. Avoid midday, high sun times.

Location

Have your photos speak to who you are. Pick a favorite outdoor place that has a special meaning to you. Your choice of location should reflect you. Most people tend to go with the run of the mill park and pond. These locations create some lovely photos, but try getting creative and thinking outside of the normal ol' box. How about an urban scene, a rustic location, or train tracks? If you are really brave try a totally different idea, a library, laundromat, or carnival. Your location should make a statement about you.

Clothing

Gone are the days of "matchy-matchy". In are the days of candid, natural and fun! Pick a color theme such as blacks and tans, or jewel tones, shades of red, blue or another, rather than a solid matching color. Have the outfits be cohesive, without being standardized. Don't be afraid of mixing patterns! And remember layering is wonderful! Scarves, blazers, and cardigans are your friends.

Be comfortable. You will be moving around a lot, as I said. Pick clothing that you can relax and have fun in. However, avoid shirts with logos and words. They tend to date a picture. Leaving them out creates an almost timeless notion to your outfits. Also, avoid white. If you are like me, you will get a white shirt dirty the instant you put it on. Let's skip the stain heart break and just leave the white at home.

It's all in the details! Make up, hair and accessories complete a look and turn out beautifully on camera. Scarves, cardigans, blazers, bracelets, belts, shoes, jewelry, THEY ARE ALL IMPORTANT! It's best not to keep things in your pockets during the session. Leave them in the car or hand it to your photographer. You will notice, trust me.